“…Should you have a Facebook page for your small business? Yes, absolutely. It’s free and it’s brand exposure. Is it enough? Probably not,” writes AdWeek. “To create the kind of digital presence that is required for a small business to succeed in today’s world, a dedicated website isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity.”

Sometimes in our travels, we hear small business owners say they don’t need a website because they have a Facebook page.

We disagree.

Yes, using social channels such as Facebook and Instagram to promote your restaurant, bar, hotel, bed and breakfast or tour company is a key element to any good digital marketing strategy.

But it’s not enough.

An attractive, easy-to-use website that looks great on tablets, phones and computers is an important part of any business marketing strategy.

Here are a few reasons why you can’t rely on your Facebook business page to market your company:

First Impressions and Professionalism: your potential guests and clients research where they want to stay, what they want to experience and what they want to eat. If they can’t find an official representation of your business online, on an official site, that gives off a bad first impression. Most travellers expect professional businesses to have a good, official website. If all they can find is a Facebook page, they might begin to doubt the quality of what you have to offer.

Information: your Facebook page can have basic information about your business, but it won’t have everything your potential customers want all in one place. They’ll expect to learn more about your business than your Facebook page can easily explain. “In comparison, a dedicated website enables you to completely control your brand and acts as a main hub on the web where interested, potential customers can go for all the information they’re looking for,” writes AdWeek.

Brand Control: your Facebook page will always look like Facebook. But with an official website, you can incorporate more of your own brand expression (your colours, imagery, voice and tone).